Reports have suggested that the Indiana Pacers might be looking to trade for a new starting center ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline. However, Jay Huff may have just sent a message to the team in his recent showings that maybe, just maybe, they don't need a new starting center. Or at least not badly as they think they do.
Jay Huff has been fantastic for the Pacers in 2026
Since the turn of the calendar, Huff has averaged 12.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.4 blocks while shooting 65.2% from the field and 41.7% from deep. Additionally, he has recorded three games so far of scoring 20 or more points, including a 29-point performance against the New Orleans Pelicans on Jan. 16.
Huff's first season in Indiana has been a bit of a roller coaster. He started the season incredibly slow before emerging as the Pacers' best center in late November. And it wasn't even that close either.
The North Carolina native was a legitimate asset on both sides of the ball. He led the league in blocks per game for a real portion of the season, and he was borderline unstoppable when his three-ball was falling. However, his inconsistencies reared their ugly head.
So far this season, Huff has just one more with multiple three-point field goals made as he has zero three-point field goals made (15 to 14). And given how much of his value relies on being a floor spacer, this isn't necessarily ideal. However, it seems like he is turning things around once again, and he is putting the Pacers on notice.
Is Huff the Pacers' answer at center? Depending on when during this season the question was asked, the answer varied. And it still might be moving forward. But there's no denying that Huff has gradually become a better fit in Indiana and is proving that it might be worth just letting it ride with him leading the way at center.
Huff is a bit inconsistent, and it ultimately comes down to which version of him is real. But roughly halfway through the season, the pros outweigh the cons. He may be a bit slow and might not be able to elevate his game in the playoffs. But he is also a fantastic three-point shooter and rim protector, and he's likely never going to be the reason the Pacers lose a game.
The Virginia alum is talented and plays smart basketball. He never forces things, and he knows what his role is and how to play it. Whether he can be trusted to be the Pacers' starting center once they are ready to re-enter the title picture remains to be seen. But as it stands, Huff is making it clear that, at the very least, he deserves the opportunity to prove that he can be.